Instrument for centering lenses.



PATENTED FEB. 5, 1907.

A. FELLOW.

INSTRUMENT FOR OENTERING LENSES.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 4. 1906.

2 SHEETS-BHBET 1.

' ihwooeo 3 alto un ty PATENTED FEB. 5, 1907.

A. FELLOW. INSTRUMENT FOR GENTERING LENSES.

APPLIUATIQN FILED OCT. 4. 1006 2 SHEBTS-SHEET 2.

n wanton attain J UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR FELLOW, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO BAUSCH & LOMB OPTICAL COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

lNSTFlUMENT FOR CENTERING LENSES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 5, 1907.

Original application filed April 24, 1905, Berial No. 257,240. Divided and this application filed October 4, 1906 Serial No. 237,384.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR FELLOW, of Rochester, in. the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Instruments for Centering Lenses end I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the some, reference being had to the eccompiniyinp drawings, ion 1- 1o ing a port of this specification, and to t reference-numerals marked thereon.

My present invention relates to improvements in the art of centering lenses with respect to their optical axes, and the purpose of my invention is to provide an instrument for enabling the axes of lenses to be readily determined with extreme accuracy, purticularly in lenses of slight curvature, and also in rovlde a, device by the use ol \VlllCl'l tile nipuleted for centering, and while the lens occupies-its centered position it may be suitably marked; the present application being it division of my prior cpplicstion, Serial To these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvements and combiinc tions of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully explained, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the dri'iwings, Figure l is at side clevetion of u lens-centering nmchine adopted for centering lenses in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation of 11:0 device looking from the opposite side thereof. llo eyepiece and reflector being shown insertion. ig. 8 is :1 plan view of the device as shown in Fig. 2, the lens being shown in section. Fig. 4 is a View in blevetion, showing it device for controlling the clutch mechanism for the marking devices. Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing ti. o clutch mechanism and their operating means for setting the marking devices into operation. -F1g. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3, showing the mechanism for bringing the marking devices into opcrutii e position and for positioning the marking devices. Figs. 7 and 8 are views in elevation and section, respcctivlely, of the lens-supporting deri es. Figs. 9, 10,

enses y be quickly and conveniently lllilr I and 11 are sectional views of the inking and marking devices, and Fig. 12 is a front view of the object or reflector.

The same numerals of reference in the several figures indicate similar parts. i

In order to obtain the best results with lenses, it is essential that they should be mounted with respect to their optical axes,

end in finding the optical. axis in accordance lo with my invention the opposite surfaces of the lens are each treated as a separate mirror or reflecting-surface to receive the light-rays from an object, and by manipulating or adjusting the lens while the separate images reflected from the opposite surfaces of the lens are undero'bservation of the operator these images may be brought into coincidence, and when this has been accomplished the lens is centered with respect to its optical axis, and the working di wice may be set into operation to mark the center thus obtained, such a method bring shown and described fully in my prior application aforesaid.

An instrument particularly adapted for use in centering lenses in accordance with my im'rnl'ion u 'orrscid is shown in the accolupcny ing drawings as comprising a standard l, ruountrd on the base 2 end carrying the horizontal support 3, the latter being of a. length suitable to accommodate a lens-support 4 at one end, the eye iccc 5 at the 0ppositc 0nd,:u1d the ll10VH.-l)l 0- marking device 6 illtil'lllCLliilbl of the eyepiece end lens-support.) This ions-support comprises an up \vuMir-extruding standard carrying a plate 7, arranged poi-pendicularly of the support 3 and prm'id d with the crossed slots 8 8, through 'llbil u dark screen may be sighted from the eyepiece 5 as :1 background to rendcr the imugrs from th surfaces of the lens clearly visible to the observer. Extending through this plate are a series of supportingpins ouch embodying a threaded )ortion 9, slotted at one end to permit nnjustment thereof in c direction trunsvcrscly of the plate and provided with c lock-nut 10 for seouring it in adjusted position, and the forward end of each pin has a hood 11, of hard rubber or other suitable nmtcrinl, applied thereto in order to uilbrd u lirm support and yet avoid scratching of the lens-surface by engagement therewith. I prefer to employ a series of four pins in rectangular arr ment and projecting equidistantly from t eplate, so that their points all lie in the same plane,because lenses having spherical, cylindrical, or plane surfaces may be firmly seated and centered against them.

The eyepiece may be of any suitable form having a small sight-aperture 12, and over this sight-aperture is fitted a casting 13, hav ing a mirror or reflector 14, mounted on the ivots 15, so as to be capable of tilting into ifierent positions to ena le the lightrays to berdirected upon the lens while it is in position against its support. In this mirror, in alinement with the sight-aperture 12 and the centralpoint of the lens-supporting pins, a clear spot 16 is provided, forming an object which will appear as a black image when reflected and as it is clear enables an observation to be had through it,and consequently the viewpoint of the observer will be from the position of the object. In addition to the object formed by the clear spot of the mirror it is preferab e to provide the black cross-lines 17 and 18, extending vertically and horizontally,respcctively,of the mirror and intersecting at the clear spot, as this renders the object more readily discernible and enables the axes of cylindrical lenses to he determined, as will presently ap ear.

Arranged longitudinally oft e support 3 and between the eyepiece and lens-support are the ways 19 to receive the reciprocatory carriage 20, the latter havin the uprightsZlthereon for supporting the s aft 22, on which a pair of radia ly-arranged arms 23 are fixed. '1 ese arms are connected at their free ends by the bar 24, through which a series of cylinders 25 extend, each 0 linder being pro vided with a plunger 26, aving a Spring 27 for o crating it under a yielding pressure in one ircction, and the forward ends of'the plungers are provided with the markin devices 28, preferably composed of hard ru her or other suitable material and pointed toward their ends. These plungers carrying the marking devices are so mounted that when they are in operative osition their marking devices will be in a inc with the horizontal crossline 18 of the mirror and with an imaginary line extending horizontally through the central point between the lens-supporting pins, the central marking device being directly opposite to the object 16 of the mirror, and the yielding action of the marking devices enables them to accommodate themsclvcs to plane or curved surfaces without moving them out of center.

To the shai t 22 is fixed an operating-lever 29, arranged to cooperate with the roller or projection 30 on the relatively fixed standard 31 as the carriage 20 is moved toward the lens-support to swing the marking devices from the normal position, as shownin Fig 1,

to the o erative position, as shown in Fig. 2, and as t e motion of the carriage is comparatively rapid a cushioning stop or bufier is preferably employed, comprising in the present instance a hollow pc st 32, fixed on the carria e and provided with a vertically-mow able p unger 132, the head of which is formed to engage the under side of the lever when the latter is swung into horizontal position by cooperation with the roller 30, the downward motion of the plunger being cushioned by the spring 33 and lirrited positively b engagement with the head thereof with the top of the post. This cushioning-stop serves to yieldingly arrest the motion of th operat in gleverfor the marking device s when it is thrown by the roller 30 and to serve as a rigid suport for the lever as the latter is drawn down y the roller 30 astthe latter traverses the upper surface'of the leverduring the advancing movement of the carriage, and this will insure the accuratepositioning of the marking devices relatively to the centered lens at each portion 29$ being provided on the lever, so as to engage the roller 30 during the return memarliing devices to their normally depressed position.

The inking devices employed in connection 'with the marking devices comprise in the present instance an inking-roller 34, jOllTrnaled in a casing 35,fixed to the carriage, and has a ratchet 36 connected, thereto and an ranged tocooperate with the pawl 37 during the reciprocatory motion of the carriage, causing the inking-roller to prcse'nt new inking-surfaces to the marking devices prior to each marking operation. The inking-roller is located to receive and support the marking devices when they occupy their normally a depressed position, and at this time the marking devices and connected parts will not form an obstruction between the lens and the object and observer. Any suitable mechanism may be employed for setting the marking devices into opcration at the desired moment, the mechanism employed in the (present inst ance embodying a lever38,pivote to thcstandard or base and operatively connected a its free end to the carriage 20, a pitrnan 3 being connected to this lever and to crank-pin 40, adjustably mounted in the crank plate 41 to enable the travei of the carriage to be adjusted, the crank-plate being connected to a gear 42, meshing with a pinion 43, This pinion 43 is mounted on the spindle 44 and between the bearings 45 and 46 thereof, a pin 47 being passed through a portion oi the pinion and through a longitudinal slot in the spindle to perrrit relative axial rroticn of the latter and to transniit rotary motion betweer: the spindie, (1 pinion. One end of the spindle is PM with a head 48, having projectlons tion of the carriage to positively return the operation of the carriage, a cam or raised 148 thereon arranged to engage and disengage those of the driving-pulley 49 by a relatively longitudinal motion of the spindle, and the spindle is shifted longitudinally by means of the fork 50, pivotally connected to an operating-collar 150, resting in the groove 51 of the spindle and connected to the pivoted lever 52. This lever is connected at one end to a treadle or other convenient operating mechanism, and the free end of the lever is arranged to cooperate with a pivoted detent 53, which is normall operating under springpressure to enga e cneath the lever 52, and thereby retain t e latter in operated position, a rejection 54 being provided on the crank-p ate 41 todisengafie the detent and the lever 52, permitting t o latter to hereturned to normal position under act ion of the sprin 55 after the marking device has comp ete its operation. In the carriage-operatmg mechanism described continuous rotary motion is imparted to the pulley 45, and when it is desirable to set the marking devices in operation the lever 52 is tilted to shift the spindle 44 longitudinally, causing the cooperatively-arranged projections of the head 48 and the pulley 49 to engage and thereby rotate the spindle, rotary motion of the latter being transmitted to the pinion 43 and in turn to the gear 42 and crank-plate 41, and as the latter rotates the pitman 39 is reciprocated, causing the lever 38 to irripart reciprocato motion'to the carriage 20, and during t e operation of the carriage the marking devices will be moved into operative pc silion to mark the lens and subsequently returned to a normal osition out of alineirent with the lens and t e niirror, the knocking-off projection 54 of the crank-plate being so placed that the motion of the carriage is interrupted while the marking devices occupy their normal inoperative pc. sit ion.

In 0 crating an instrument of the kind describe for performing the method described in my aforesaid 1prior a plication the lens 0;, the axis of whic is un mown, is held by the hand of the operator firmlyagainst the heads 1 ward the centered lens 11 of the, lens-su porting pins, and while the lens occupies sue a position the mirror 14 is tilted so that an image of the object thereon is plainl visible as reflected from each surface of t e lens, a dark screen being arranged behind the lens to render the image more distinct.

The position of the lens won the su portingpins may now be shifted by manipu ation until these separate images reflected from. the anterior and posterior surfaces of the lens appear to coincide, and while the lens is held in such 'a position the'marking devices are brought into action by operation of the lever 52, this causing the carriage 20 to advance toand in doing so the operating-roller 30 will cooperate with the lever 29 to swing the arms 23, carrying the marking devices, into operative position, and as these marking devices are su )plied with ink and operate directly in the fine of vision-when the lens is centered the central marking device will mark the optical center of the lens, the continued operation of the carriage-operating mechanism causing the carriage to be withdrawn and the marking device withdrawn from the line of vision.

Of course an instrument of the kind embodying my invention is also adapted for testing lenses having either plane, spherical, or c lindrical surfaces at either or both sides, as t e reflected images from the opposite surfaces of the lenses when brought into coincidence in the manner hercinbefore described will accurately locate the optical axes of the lenses, and the peculiar arrangement of the l ens-supporting pins insures afirin and proper seating of the 7 lane and spherical surfaces of the lenses at all positions, and the cylindrical surface when the lens is in centered position and the yielding arrangement for the marking devices enables them to apply the ink to the surfaces of lenses having widely-differing curvatures that may be either concave or convex.

The instrument em loycd for performing the method describe enables the optical axes of lenses of extremely small powers to be quickly and accurately located, even by an unskilled operator, avoiding the delicate operations heretofore practiced for this class of lenses, and which were subject to error, and it also enables all of the operations to be performed on lenses of different classes and powers without requiring any adjustment or focusing of the apparatus.

Of course it will be understood that the device I have shown is adapted forccntering the lenses with reference to their optical axes and without regard to theiroutline, this particular form of device being used generallyin con nection with lenses which have not been cut into their desired outline, and when it is de sired to center lenses with respect. to their outlincsuch, for example, as to determine the optical axis of the cylinder of the usual elliptical eyeglass-lens with respect to its geometrical axis--any desired rotatable lens support or holder for positioning the elliptical lens may be employed, and by the use of the method hcreinbefore described the optical axis may be readily determined.

1 claim as my invent ion 1. in a device for centering lenses, the combination with a support having an eyepiece and a lens-support thereon, of an object centered with respect to the line of vision be- *ti'lting to enable rays from the object thereon bination with a support havi g an eyepiece bination with a sup ort having an eyepiece and a lens-support t ereon, of a pivoted mirror having anobjec-t thereon, and capable of tobe directed on the surfaces of a lens on the lens-support.

5. In a device forbentering lenses, the combination with a sup ort having an eyepiece and a lens-support t ereon, of a pivoted mirror having a clear spot thereon centered with respect to the line of vision between the eyeiece and lens-support, the mirror being ad- Justable to enable an image ofthe clear spot of the mirror to be readily observed from the eyepiece.

6. In an instrument for centering lenses, the'combination with a support having an eye lace and a lens-support thereon, of a mirror aving a clear spot therein centered with respect to the line of .vision between the eye iece'and the lens-support, and having crossinesthereon intersecting at the clear s int.

7. In an instrument for centering lenses, the combination with a support havin an eyepiece thereon, of a lens-support in a ine ment with the eyepiece for engaging the surface of a lens, embodying a series of pins capable of adjustment to bring their'lensem gagi-n portions in a given plane.

8. n aninstrument for centering lenses,

- the combination with asrip'port having an eyepiece thereon, of a lens-support for engaging one of the surfaces of a lens embodying a series of pins capable of being adjusted to bring their-lens-engaging portions in a plane arranged plerpendicularly to the line of vision between t e eyepiece and a central point of the lens-support.

9.-In an instrument for centering lenses,

*the'combination with a support having an eyepiece thereon, of a lens-support embodying'a plate, and a series of spaced pins disposed in predetermined arrangement and adustable transversely otthehplate so as to bring thelens-engaging portions of the several pins into the same plane.

:10. in an instrument for centering" lenses, the combination with a base having a lens-;

support and an eyepiece thereon, of a marking device mounted to move into and out of the line of vision between the eyepiece and lens-support for marking a lens upon the lens-support, and means for movin the 6 marking device into coincidence with the line of vision and for reciprocating said mar-kin device directl in the linezof vision relative y to a lens on the lens-support.

11. In an instrument for centering lenses, o

the combination with a base having a lens support and eyepiece thereon, of a reciprocatory carriage a swinging arm ivoted thereon having a markin device, in fixed relation thereon, a lever or operating said arm and a projection on the base cooper- ,85 ating with said lever during the reciprocatory movement of the carriage to move the marking device into the line of vision between the eyepiece and the lens-support for marking" a lens, on the latter, and an inking device for applying ink to the marking devices when the latter is moved out of operative position.

13. In an instrument foruse in centering lenses, the combination with a base havin a lens-support and eyepiece thereon, an a mirror mounted in alinernent withthe lenssupport and eyepiece, and havin an object thereon adapted to be reflected onto the surfaces of a lens on the lens-support, of a marking device arranged to move into and out of cooperative relation with a lens on the lenssupport, and means for setting themarking device into operation at 'tlieproper 'moment to mark the lens under test.

14. In an instrument adapted for use in testing lenses, the combination with a base having a lens-s11 port andeye iece thereon, of a luminous o ect arrange in alinement' with the lens-support and eyepiece .and adapted to reflect rays therefrom ontovfa lens positioned on the lens support. to

15. In an instrument ada ted-foruse in testing lenses,"the combination with a suitable base having a lenssfipport thereon, and

an eyepiece, of a mailt-ing device arr rig to move into and out of cooperative relation; with a lens on the lens-support, an operating: shaft, and a clutch for operatively bonnectihg the latter and the marking device for'setting the latter in operation. i

16. In an instrument adapted forusein, testing lenses, the combination with'a :suitr able base having a lens-support thereon and an eyepiece, of a carriage mounted to, r its rocate on the base between the lei'tl'rhtlppo and eyepiece, a swinging arisen the =car-, Tiage having a marking device .arrangedto cooperate with a lens on the lens support,

and devices cooperating with a part conneeted to ,said arm during the roeiprooatoiy movement of said carriage for automatically movin the marker into and out of cooperative re ation with a lens on said support.

17. In an instrument adapted for use in testing lenses, the combination with a suitable base, and a lens-support and eyepiece mounted thereon, of a reeiproeatory carriage hi means oi the reeiproeatory movement 0 said rarriage.

18. In an instrtnnent adapted for use in testing lenses the combination with a suitalale base, an eyepiece, and a lens-support, of a carriage mounted to reciprocate on the lmse in line with the eyepiece and lens-support, a marking device mounted on the carriage and arranged to cmiperate with a lens on the lens-support, and devices arranged between said marking device and base for operating the former at a predetermined point in the movement of the carriage.

ARTHUR FELLOW.

Witnesses:

GEORGE H LE'PFLER, WILLIAM V. Moose. 

